Walnut Arugula Pesto & Shrimp Flatbread

It is getting so very hot here.

And humid. Yuck, who actually likes humidity? It ruins any attempts at actually doing your hair and make up and just makes for a grumpy mess. I’m speaking from personal experience, of course!

When the weather gets stifling hot {I live in New Orleans people, it’s been like this for at least a month, but it’s really gotten bad this past week} one of the last things anyone wants to do is work up even more of a sweat preparing heavy and labor intensive meals.

As a Momma, I’m not all about that these days anyways. I don’t know about you but between work, house work, the pups, the hubster, and the baby, I just want to come home and spend time with my family, and while that involves preparing and eating dinner together, I don’t have a ton of extra energy and time to put towards a recipe-heavy dish.

This recipe I’m sharing today is a perfect light meal for these hot summer months and it’s incredibly fast to prepare, especially if you use leftover ingredients from previously cooked meals, like I did here!

It starts off with a simple homemade pesto and turns into an extremely satisfying flatbread topped with buttery-garlicy shrimp with hints of salty feta cheese and vitamin-packed roasted asparagus.

The end results is the perfect combo of a summer-style pizza without the decadent guilt from a thick carb-laden enriched flour crust and high fat high cal cheese.

I first made the creamy pesto by twisting the ingredients of a traditional pesto from pine nuts, basil, and olive oil to a more peppery, flavorful, and nutritious version with walnuts, arugula, and lemon juice. The lemon juice adds a fresh flavor and helps to reduce the amount of olive oil {aka high cal fats, but oh-so good for you}. The arugula gives a nice peppery-zip with adds a boost of flavor and nutrition! And those walnuts, so creamy yet crunchy at the same time. They are the perfect compliment to other foods, making for tasty and nutritious meals {or even snacks}, which is exactly why I used them in this recipe.

Walnuts can top your list of go-to nuts as just one ounce {or two tablespoons} provides 2.5 grams of the essential plant-based omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), and also has 4 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber both of which help to keep you feeling full.

I love to add heart-healthy walnuts to snacks when paired with fresh fruit, or even combined with a small serving of no-sugar added dried fruit and make a homemade trail mix. This pesto, though, is a great additive to dressings, sandwiches, even eggs! It’s the perfect “sauce” for this lighter take on pizza though!

Without further adieu, here is my simple yet scrumptious, crispy yet creamy, peppery & buttery Arugula Walnut Pesto with Shrimp Flatbread.

Walnut Arugula Pesto

Makes: 8 ounces

Ingredients:

1/2 cup walnuts

4 cloves garlic

4 cups fresh arugula

1 lemon, juiced

1/2 cup olive oil

pinch of kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

In a food processor, pulse the walnuts, garlic, and arugula together until everything is even processed. Drizzle in the olive oil through the feed tube while running the processor and stop once everything is creamy and combined into a thick, but spreadable paste.

Walnut Arugula Pesto with Shrimp & Asparagus Flatbread

Serves: 1

Ingredients: 

1 whole grain trans-fat free tortilla

2 heaping tablespoons homemade pesto {see recipe above}

2-4 ounces cooked shrimp

1/2 cup cooked asparagus, chopped

1 tablespoon reduced feta cheese

Directions:

Preheat a grill pan to medium heat. Place the tortilla on the grill pan to warm through {about 30 seconds}. Flip the tortilla and then add the pesto, spooning it out into an even layer over the tortilla.

Sprinkle on the shrimp, asparagus, and feta. Cover and allow to the ingredients to warm through {about 3-4 minutes at the most}.

I made this flatbread using leftover cooked shrimp and asparagus. Both ingredients were laid out on a sheet tray, drizzled with the lightest bit of olive oil, sprinkled with a tiny touch of kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a couple cloves of fresh garlic. Everything was baked in the oven at 425 degrees for about 12-15 minutes.

If you have to make this the night-of when it’s needed I’d prepare the shrimp & asparagus first. Make the pesto while these two are roasting in the oven. And then assemble onto the flatbread. Three easy steps that’ll have balanced dinner {lean protein, fiber, veggies, and healthy fat} together in no time!

---

I received free samples of California walnuts mentioned in this post. By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by the California Walnut Commission and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time.

---